Office of Hawaiian Affairs board chairwoman Haunani Apoliona said yesterday that she and her colleagues will continue to fight challenges to Hawaiian rights and entitlements by, among other things, continuing to push for passage of a bill in Congress that would federally recognize a Native Hawaiian government entity.

She urged the Native Hawaiian community, which has been divided on the issue, to unite in that fight.

"There is nothing else that is certain to protect native Hawaiian assets in the immediate future, and we cannot accomplish anything if our efforts are not unified," she said.

Apoliona made the remarks in her State of OHA and the Native Hawaiian Community speech at Kawaiaha'o Church during the agency's investiture ceremonies to swear in recently re-elected trustees Rowena Akana, Boyd Mossman, Oswald Stender and John Waihe'e IV, as well as newly elected trustee Walter Heen.

The Kawaiaha'o ceremony was marked by a protest by a group of about 50 people who want the OHA board to rescind a resolution supporting a resort development at Moloka'i's La'au Point. Moloka'i activist Walter Ritte Jr., Kawaiaha'o kahu Curt Kekuna and OHA leaders agreed to have the demonstrators show their displeasure with the board by walking silently down the middle aisle of the church, past the trustees and out a side door.

Trustee Colette Machado, who represents Moloka'i, said she believes a majority of residents on the Friendly Isle support the project. She also suggested that protesters take the issue before the state Land Use Commission.

But Ritte said OHA's position makes it difficult for opponents of the project to use OHA's resources in their fight before the commission and other venues. Further, he said, "if OHA is going to be supporting development that's detrimental to Hawaiian culture, that's a big deal."

Later in the day, Apoliona won re-election as chairwoman of the board by a 6-2 vote, with Waihe'e absent due to illness. Waihe'e was re-elected vice chairman. Machado will continue as head of the Beneficiary Advocacy and Empowerment Committee, with Mossman as vice chairman. Stender takes over the Asset Resource Management Committee, with Akana as vice chairwoman.

Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com.